Humans, based on their teachings, beliefs, and religious traditions, often raise their hands to the sky and pray to their Creator when faced with hardships. This has led to the formation of various rituals and ceremonies across the world. One significant factor in shaping cultural elements is the influence of geography and environment. Providing water has been one of the most significant human challenges for years, especially in arid and water-scarce regions like central Iran, areas surrounding the Lut Desert, and salt flats. When rainfall decreases, and people face long and severe droughts, a ceremony, usually resembling a performance, is held to request abundant rain from nature. This ceremony is called “Talab-e Baran” (Rain Prayer) or “Istisqa”. It is conducted with greater seriousness in some cities of Iran, especially in desert regions.
Ancient Iranians believed in and revered water and rain. Among the prophets and Imams, it is believed that the best action when faced with strong winds and little rainfall is to pray and seek rain and blessings from God. In many regions where followers of divine faiths live, rain prayer ceremonies are held with special ceremonies, and religious figures attend them. Although such ceremonies exist in the cultures of other nations, they are more common and diverse in Iran. Generally, a group song is sung during these ceremonies, possibly accompanied by music and performance. Rain prayer ceremonies are called by various names in each region. For example, in the central province, it’s called “Chamcheh Galin”, in Dashtestan, it’s known as “Ketra Gosha” or “Goli”, in Bushehr, it’s “Gelin” or “Aroos-e Zesht”, and among Bakhtiari people, it’s “Har Haroonak” or “Koli Koosheh”.
The rituals related to rain prayer can be categorized based on whether they are performed collectively or individually or the symbols used in them. These rituals include supplication, cooking “Aash” (a type of soup), “Gav Rabi” (cattle stealing), “Hormat-e Shikani”, using a rain-making stone, breaking spells, freeing rain from spells, fortune-telling, coffin rotation and flag rotation, “Koosheh Gardani”, puppetry, rope jumping competition, using unusual objects, requesting musicians to play music and sing, “Hoodrasa Hedrasa”, “Chehel Molla” (Forty Mullahs), “Aroosi-ye Qanat” (Qanat wedding), sacrifice, cutting a scythe under the pipe, turning a wheel on rivers, writing the names of seven or forty bald men and tying it to a pipe, and many other traditions seen in various parts of Iran and performed based on people’s beliefs. Some of them are performed in combination, for example, “Koosheh” or puppetry is performed at the end of cooking “Aash”. However, in some areas, each is performed separately.
